v0.1.0 to v0.2.0

---

name: localization-authority-audit

description: Use when auditing localization source authority, generated copies, translation keys, missing or extra entries, mismatched text, encoding, mojibake, or client and server localization drift.

author: GameStudio-CodexKIT

license: MIT

compatibility:

engines: [engine-agnostic, unity]

versions: [any]

platforms: [windows, linux, macos]

metadata:

studio:

type: diagnostic

lifecycle_stage: verify

risk_level: read-only

packs: [unity, cpp-lua-mmorpg]

side_effects: none

artifact: localization-audit.json

required_evidence: [authority-map, copy-map, mismatch-list]

owner: HoaTV Studio

reviewer: null

provenance:

derived_from: none

patterns_from: [Hermes localization promotion source unavailable locally BLOCKED, sanitized copy synchronization fixture]

copied_text: none

---

# Localization Authority Audit

## Overview

Identify the localization source of truth and compare every generated or copied map without rewriting multilingual data or masking encoding problems.

## When to use

Use for missing keys, extra keys, stale translations, client/server text drift, generated localization copies, encoding mismatches, UTF-8 versus legacy encodings, or mojibake.

## When NOT to use

Do not use for Lua packet/RPC field contracts or bulk encoding conversion without project-specific approval and backup.

## Required inputs and context discovery

Collect authority path, copy/generated paths, generation pipeline, locale list, key format, encoding evidence, fallback behavior, runtime owner, and protected vendor/generated data.

## Safety and risk level

Read-only audit first. Never bulk-convert encodings, normalize multilingual text, or edit generated copies before source authority and backup are verified.

## Workflow

1. Identify source authority, generated copies, runtime consumers, and fallback order.

Completion criterion: unknown authority remains BLOCKED.

2. Verify file encodings with evidence before decoding or comparing text.

Completion criterion: mojibake is not mistaken for a translation difference.

3. Normalize keys without changing source text and compare missing, extra, and mismatched entries.

Completion criterion: every finding cites authority and copy locations.

4. Trace generation or copy synchronization for stale outputs.

Completion criterion: the editable source and regeneration path are known.

5. Propose source-first fixes, targeted encoding handling, and verification fixtures.

Completion criterion: no bulk conversion or generated-file hand edit is proposed without safeguards.

## Evidence and output contract

Produce `localization-audit.json` with authority, encodings, locales, missing/extra/mismatched keys, generation paths, runtime fallback, limitations, and source-first recommendations.

## Handoff contract

Record authority and copy paths, encoding evidence, key mismatches, generated no-touch files, unresolved locale ownership, and next safe action.

## Pitfalls and anti-rationalization

- Similar-looking text may be encoded differently.

- Do not “fix mojibake” through bulk replacement.

- Generated copies are not the authority unless explicitly verified.

- Missing runtime access is BLOCKED for live rendering confirmation.

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Authority and copies are classified.

- [ ] Encodings were checked before comparison.

- [ ] Missing, extra, and mismatched keys are separate.

- [ ] Generation paths remain source-first.

- [ ] No bulk encoding mutation occurred.

## References and scripts

Use the bundled [scripts/localization_audit.py](scripts/localization_audit.py) on normalized maps and project-local copy/generation documentation.